We accumulate our opinions at an age when our understanding is at its weakest.

The noble simplicity in the works of nature only too often originates in the noble shortsightedness of him who observes it.

The human tendency to regard little things as important has produced very many great things. G 46 Variant translation: The inclination of people to consider small things as important has produced many great things.

The American who first discovered Columbus made a bad discovery.

Popular presentation today is all too often that which puts the mob in a position to talk about something without understanding it.

To err is human also in so far as animals seldom or never err, or at least only the cleverest of them do so.

There are very many people who read simply to prevent themselves from thinking.

He who knows himself properly can very soon learn to know all other men. It is all reflection.

What is called an acute knowledge of human nature is mostly nothing but the observer's own weaknesses reflected back from others.

It is almost impossible to bear the torch of truth through a crowd without singeing somebody's beard.